University of North Texas Athletics
Saturday, September 5
Bloomington, IN
11:00 AM CT
University of North Texas
at
Indiana
Mean Green Ready to Start New Era With Marquee Matchup
9/1/2026 3:35:00 PM | Football
DENTON – The UNT football team begins its season, and a new era, on Saturday, as the Mean Green open on the road at defending national champion Indiana at 11 a.m., in a nationally televised game as the FOX Big Noon Kickoff matchup. The game can be seen on FOX, with the radio broadcast set for 1190 AM/The Varsity Network.
First-year head coach Neal Brown and select players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, the magnitude of this matchup, a new quarterback getting his opportunity, an almost brand new wide receiver room and a homecoming for several key figures.
Unprecedented TV audience awaiting UNT
The Mean Green have played in some big matchups over the years and played on national television nine times last season, but none of those television audiences will match the one Saturday at kickoff in Bloomington, Indiana.
The game will be in FOX's prime timeslot immediately after the Big Noon Kickoff pregame show airs, live from Bloomington.
"It's huge for the university," Brown said. "It's bigger than just the football program. It's a huge opportunity for the entire UNT community. It's great exposure for our program. The fact we're playing in this time slot on this network versus this opponent? These opportunities don't come very often. We have to embrace this and enjoy it, but I think this is a moment that's a long time coming for this program."
Brown has been in this position – opening a new season as the man in charge – 10 times before, but he knows the 11th will be different.
"The older you get, the more grateful you are for the opportunities," Brown said. "You take a little time and understand the significance of certain games. This is a significant game in this program's history because it's going to be the most watched game ever. It's significant. We want our football program to mirror this region, and this is one of the fastest growing regions in the country with a growing university and we want our program to be growing at that same rate."
Not only is UNT playing a marquee opponent to open the season leading out of FOX's Big Noon Kickoff show, the Mean Green are the first opponent for the defending national champions, and Brown said he can't stress enough the respect he has for the job the Indiana staff, led by Curt Cignetti, have done since making the jump from FCS James Madison to Indiana prior to the 2024 season.
"It's the most impressive coaching job in any of the major sports, at least in my lifetime," Brown said. "I grew up in the state next door. I saw Kentucky and Indiana play several times in football. I don't mean this lightly, I think it is the single most impressive coaching job in any professional or college sport I've seen in my lifetime."
A homecoming in the spotlight
While every member of the Mean Green program will be under a huge national spotlight this weekend in the Hoosier State, a select few will be playing close to home.
Tayven Jackson will be making his first start at quarterback for the Mean Green, and the UCF transfer who began his career with the Hoosiers will be playing in essentially his hometown.
Jackson hails from Greenwood, Indiana, which is a suburb of Indianapolis just 45 miles from IU's campus, and will have numerous friends and family at Memorial Stadium to watch him play. Kicker Dominic De Freitas is also returning home, as he'll be making his Mean Green debut 200 miles from his hometown of Nappanee, Indiana.
"It's going to be familiar," Jackson said. "I played there for two years. I know the stadium, a lot of the fans, dang near the whole team. It'll be good seeing my family at the game. I'm only about 30 minutes from my hometown. It's a great opportunity."
Brown will also be in front of several family members from just across the border into Kentucky, where he grew up.
"I wish we were at home," Brown said with a smile. "But I'm excited about [opening the season this weekend] though. I understand what Tayven and our kicker Dom are feeling going back to their home state. My family is about three hours away from there. We'll have a lot of people there. I'm looking forward to it. Regardless of how long you've been doing this or how many places you have been, you can't take these opportunities to run through the tunnel for granted."
Jackson ready for his moment
Tayven Jackson's journey to winning the starting quarterback job at UNT hasn't been a straight or easy one.
He spent two years at Indiana, where he started six games, before transferring to UCF last season and starting 10 games for the Knights while amassing over 2,000 yards passing and accounting for 13 touchdowns.
But the fifth-year quarterback wouldn't have it any other way.
"If you'd asked me as a younger man I'd say, 'Why me? I'm always fishing for something,' but as I've gotten older I'm glad this has happened in my life. This is my journey. Not anyone else's. When I was younger I always compared myself to other people. But the more I've gotten into my spirituality and religion, I've realized this is my life and I'm glad this is where my feet are and I'm in the present."
Now, Jackson is a part of a group of 70 newcomers to the Mean Green, who now have the highest number of new players over the past three seasons combined in all of FBS with 215. It sounds crazy, but it's just the reality of college football in 2026, and Jackson said he's ready to do something special with this group.
"It's hard to get a whole new team and be successful, but I've seen it happen before," he said. "It's possible. You just have to connect with the team. Eat lunch together. Put the phones down. If you have a strong connection off the field, you'll have one on the field."
That attitude and his performance in the summer and fall have led his teammates to have confidence in their new signal-caller.
"I have all the faith in Tayven," said fifth-year linebacker Aaron Alexander, another transfer and newcomer to the Mean Green. "He's shown he's that guy. He makes plays and calls the shots. It's been fun to get to know him. Iron sharpens iron and I'm glad he's the guy.
"As a journey guy myself, I know how it is to go from place to place. I have a personal respect for him in that regard."
Wide receiver room green but ready to make mark
After so much roster turnover from last season's banner year of Mean Green football, fans won't recognize many faces on the roster. But one of the familiar ones is going to be an immediate contributor in the wide receiver room.
Baron Tipton is one of the few returning players for UNT and had just two catches a season ago but is expected to be a much bigger contributor this season.
"We're a group that's by committee, and I don't' think that's a negative thing," Brown said. "We have guys who can make plays. Baron has been the most consistent through these nine months. But Kyle Koch, Grayson O'Bara, Josiah Martin, Corri Milliner, TJ Chukwurah, James Tyre, they've all had their time. We'll try to figure out at IU and in the preseason who are those guys who can make plays in pressure situations. That's what you don't know in a practice setting."
First-year head coach Neal Brown and select players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, the magnitude of this matchup, a new quarterback getting his opportunity, an almost brand new wide receiver room and a homecoming for several key figures.
Unprecedented TV audience awaiting UNT
The Mean Green have played in some big matchups over the years and played on national television nine times last season, but none of those television audiences will match the one Saturday at kickoff in Bloomington, Indiana.
The game will be in FOX's prime timeslot immediately after the Big Noon Kickoff pregame show airs, live from Bloomington.
"It's huge for the university," Brown said. "It's bigger than just the football program. It's a huge opportunity for the entire UNT community. It's great exposure for our program. The fact we're playing in this time slot on this network versus this opponent? These opportunities don't come very often. We have to embrace this and enjoy it, but I think this is a moment that's a long time coming for this program."
Brown has been in this position – opening a new season as the man in charge – 10 times before, but he knows the 11th will be different.
"The older you get, the more grateful you are for the opportunities," Brown said. "You take a little time and understand the significance of certain games. This is a significant game in this program's history because it's going to be the most watched game ever. It's significant. We want our football program to mirror this region, and this is one of the fastest growing regions in the country with a growing university and we want our program to be growing at that same rate."
Not only is UNT playing a marquee opponent to open the season leading out of FOX's Big Noon Kickoff show, the Mean Green are the first opponent for the defending national champions, and Brown said he can't stress enough the respect he has for the job the Indiana staff, led by Curt Cignetti, have done since making the jump from FCS James Madison to Indiana prior to the 2024 season.
"It's the most impressive coaching job in any of the major sports, at least in my lifetime," Brown said. "I grew up in the state next door. I saw Kentucky and Indiana play several times in football. I don't mean this lightly, I think it is the single most impressive coaching job in any professional or college sport I've seen in my lifetime."
A homecoming in the spotlight
While every member of the Mean Green program will be under a huge national spotlight this weekend in the Hoosier State, a select few will be playing close to home.
Tayven Jackson will be making his first start at quarterback for the Mean Green, and the UCF transfer who began his career with the Hoosiers will be playing in essentially his hometown.
Jackson hails from Greenwood, Indiana, which is a suburb of Indianapolis just 45 miles from IU's campus, and will have numerous friends and family at Memorial Stadium to watch him play. Kicker Dominic De Freitas is also returning home, as he'll be making his Mean Green debut 200 miles from his hometown of Nappanee, Indiana.
"It's going to be familiar," Jackson said. "I played there for two years. I know the stadium, a lot of the fans, dang near the whole team. It'll be good seeing my family at the game. I'm only about 30 minutes from my hometown. It's a great opportunity."
Brown will also be in front of several family members from just across the border into Kentucky, where he grew up.
"I wish we were at home," Brown said with a smile. "But I'm excited about [opening the season this weekend] though. I understand what Tayven and our kicker Dom are feeling going back to their home state. My family is about three hours away from there. We'll have a lot of people there. I'm looking forward to it. Regardless of how long you've been doing this or how many places you have been, you can't take these opportunities to run through the tunnel for granted."
Jackson ready for his moment
Tayven Jackson's journey to winning the starting quarterback job at UNT hasn't been a straight or easy one.
He spent two years at Indiana, where he started six games, before transferring to UCF last season and starting 10 games for the Knights while amassing over 2,000 yards passing and accounting for 13 touchdowns.
But the fifth-year quarterback wouldn't have it any other way.
"If you'd asked me as a younger man I'd say, 'Why me? I'm always fishing for something,' but as I've gotten older I'm glad this has happened in my life. This is my journey. Not anyone else's. When I was younger I always compared myself to other people. But the more I've gotten into my spirituality and religion, I've realized this is my life and I'm glad this is where my feet are and I'm in the present."
Now, Jackson is a part of a group of 70 newcomers to the Mean Green, who now have the highest number of new players over the past three seasons combined in all of FBS with 215. It sounds crazy, but it's just the reality of college football in 2026, and Jackson said he's ready to do something special with this group.
"It's hard to get a whole new team and be successful, but I've seen it happen before," he said. "It's possible. You just have to connect with the team. Eat lunch together. Put the phones down. If you have a strong connection off the field, you'll have one on the field."
That attitude and his performance in the summer and fall have led his teammates to have confidence in their new signal-caller.
"I have all the faith in Tayven," said fifth-year linebacker Aaron Alexander, another transfer and newcomer to the Mean Green. "He's shown he's that guy. He makes plays and calls the shots. It's been fun to get to know him. Iron sharpens iron and I'm glad he's the guy.
"As a journey guy myself, I know how it is to go from place to place. I have a personal respect for him in that regard."
Wide receiver room green but ready to make mark
After so much roster turnover from last season's banner year of Mean Green football, fans won't recognize many faces on the roster. But one of the familiar ones is going to be an immediate contributor in the wide receiver room.
Baron Tipton is one of the few returning players for UNT and had just two catches a season ago but is expected to be a much bigger contributor this season.
"We're a group that's by committee, and I don't' think that's a negative thing," Brown said. "We have guys who can make plays. Baron has been the most consistent through these nine months. But Kyle Koch, Grayson O'Bara, Josiah Martin, Corri Milliner, TJ Chukwurah, James Tyre, they've all had their time. We'll try to figure out at IU and in the preseason who are those guys who can make plays in pressure situations. That's what you don't know in a practice setting."
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